Iranian filmmaker addresses anti-Trump protest in Beverly Hills

Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi has spoken via video message to demonstrators protesting US President’s policies.

Farhadi who has boycotted this year’s Oscars ceremony in protest at Trump’s visa ban, asked the demonstrator on February 24 to voice their outrage over the US President’s policies during the gathering in Beverly Hills, California.

Farhadi appreciated the concord shown by the cinema society during his address at “United Voices” rally held by United Talent Agency (UTA) in the afternoon.

“It is comforting to know that at a time when some politicians are trying to promote hate by creating divisions between cultures, religions and nationalities, the cinema community has joined the people in a common show of unity to show its opposition,” Farhadi said.

The Iranian director, whose movie ‘The Salesman’ is nominated for best foreign-language film, addressed the rally crowd of more than 1,500 who gathered outside the agency’s Beverly Hills offices via video message from the Iranian capital of Tehran.

He also expressed his hope for unity to continue and spread to fight other injustices and said “Filmmakers can break stereotypes around the world by turning their cameras to capture shared human qualities.”

Iranian-American engineer and first Iranian in space Anousheh Ansari as well as former director of Solar Systems Exploration at NASA Dr. Firouz Naderi are to represent Farhadi at the Oscars ceremony.

The Friday protest gathering also featured speeches from some well-known figures such as Jodie Foster, Keegan Michael-Key, Michael J. Fox, and the UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer.

With offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Nashville, Toronto, Miami and Malmo, Sweden, UTA is one of the largest talent and literary agencies in the world, with 300 agents representing actors, writers, directors, producers, recording artists, below the line talent, IP rights holders, emerging technology companies and corporate brands in a variety of practice areas including film, television, music, digital media, broadcast news, computer and video games, commercials, fine arts, voiceovers, endorsements, branding & licensing, corporate consulting and entertainment marketing.

MG/RSH